Common sense

 In a world where in person meetings have been replaced by screens, it is normal to see the words “entered the chat” or “left the chat”.

In the context of what is going on in the world it seems to me as if people have lost their common sense as well as their critical thinking skills. 

For example, the Democratic party was founded on the foundation of helping out the working class.  Democratic leaders are putting up a facade that they are for the working class, but instead raise taxes to benefit themselves. Their priorities are strictly for the people who are here illegally and for fulfilling DEI practices. Everything else has fallen by the wayside.

When the Trump administration uncovered their fraud and wasteful spending, they made it their goal to put them under a microscope, throwing tantrums like young children who are redirected from bad behavior. They seem to have forgotten all sense of propriety and the sole purpose of their once great political party. 

The same can be said for their followers. Although the media jokes about “Trump Derangement Syndrome”, it is all too real in most individuals. Family members cut all contact with each other and the workplace has turned into a war-zone for verbal landmines. The party of self-proclaimed tolerance has instead resorted to attacking those who simply believe differently than them or refuse to hear any sort of truth against the hate speech that they are constantly spouting. 

Another example that comes to mind is the common sense that the leaders in my home state of Illinois are lacking. According to the National Governors Association the proper definition of the duties of a Governor are as follows:”A state governor serves as the state's chief executive, commander-in-chief of the state's military forces, and a leader in the state's legislative and judicial processes. Key duties include managing the executive branch, proposing legislation, appointing state officials, issuing executive orders, signing or vetoing bills passed by the legislature, granting pardons and reprieves, and acting as the state's primary representative and crisis manager.” 

Being here in Illinois and witnessing the once glamorous city of Chicago turn into a total disaster is a prime example of the lack of leadership this state is facing. The Governor as well as the Mayor seem to have forgotten their  primary duties of protecting the people and doing what is right for everyone. They are oblivious to the murders and violent crimes as well as the rise in homelessness and illegal drug distribution. Their main focus seems to be accusing President Trump of “racism” "fascism" and have encouraged the citizens of Chicago to quite literally “stand up and fight back” against the potential of the National Guard coming in to bring the necessary law and order back into the city. The leaders of a state should be bringing unity, not inciting violence. 

The same leaders who told you not to go outside, forced your children to learn from behind a computer screen, closed down small businesses, and shunned those who chose to express their medical freedoms, are the same ones who tell you to hate the President and encourage death threats and verbal abuse. 

How then, will  they think this division will solve anything? The truth of the matter is, it won’t. 

The only cure for this sickness and insanity is for strong leaders. Ones who aren’t open to verbally abusing the leader of our country, but instead put their citizens safety and concerns first. 

Common sense has indeed left the chat.

"Mind your own business"

 “Mind your own business” 

A clear, concise, and firm statement to say when a person is trying to concern themselves with something that doesn't concern them. 

In the context of this article, I will be discussing politicians who have not put the needs of the citizens they are sworn to take care of above all else. 

For example, Brandon Johnson,  the mayor of Chicago has spent millions of dollars providing for the illegal immigrants who have used Chicago as a refuge and sanctuary city. Meanwhile, there are a total of over 100,000 violent crimes committed annually, including property damage, homicide, and gang-related violence. The once bright and vibrant city has now become the mirror image of the fictional Gotham City, with no caped crusader swooping in to save the day.  The total debt for the city of Chicago alone is $23 billion dollars. 

Yes you read that right.

The Mayor of a city as vast as Chicago should have the kind of  leadership that legitimately cares for its citizens. 

The same can be said for the Governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker. The literal definition of a trust fund baby. He is the managing partner of several venture capital and investment startups. His family owns the Hyatt hotel chain. He has a net worth of 3.7 billion dollars. His main focus is the outspoken slander of President Trump, the protection of illegal immigrants, and the endless spending of hardworking taxpayers dollars. 

What these leaders seem to do time and time again, is focus on everything else but the concerns of the people of Illinois. 

Instead of defunding the police and letting criminals get away with literal murder, the police force should be protected and strengthened. Criminals should be brought to justice. 

Instead of providing luxury hotel rooms, food, and healthcare to illegals on the taxpayers dime, the leadership should be focused on helping  the homeless population.  The amount of street drugs being used to poison people should be brought to a screeching halt.  Single parents, children rescued from abusive homes, and people just barely making it by, should feel supported and worthy, not less than. 

I write this article as a plea to encourage the people of Illinois to vote these men out of office when the time comes. 

To Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor Pritzker, shame on you both. You have failed the people of Illinois.

We are not your “people".

We the people, are fed up. 

Take care of this state and stop concerning yourself with the woke culture and approval ratings of the far-fallen Democratic party. 

Mind. Your. Own. Business. 

Fools serving kings

 Democrats are condemning the violence that they helped create. When it’s members of your own party that are killed or critically wounded, you beg for peace. 

 

Democrat leaders, you put our state on lockdown. You closed churches and houses of worship, you deemed what you considered to be an “essential business” while small family owned businesses were forced to shut down. You put so many people out of work, you isolated children from school. You fear mongered us into staying home, while you went on your private jet to your many vacation homes. 

Your protest chants call out for no more kings, for human rights to not be taken away, yet you seem to forget the regime we lived under for the past decade. Not only from our Governor, but from the previous administration. 

I will never understand the reasoning for the “No Kings” protests. Hundreds, if not thousands of people of all ages, races and all walks of life, stood together in protest of the Trump administration. Their website made the following statement: 

“They've defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services. The corruption has gone too far.”y’v, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services. The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.: No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance. From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism—and show the world what democracy really lo

As I read this statement, I wanted to bring forth my own reasoning to counteract it.

Americans are not being deported or disappearing off the streets. People who are here illegally and who have committed heinous crimes are being deported. 

Civil rights are not being “attacked” and services are not being “slashed”. Trump and his administration are doing everything in their power to uncover the financial waste and fraud that has been running rampant for decades. The money that every hardworking, taxpaying American has earned deserves to go back to them, not fund other countries' wars. 

The same people who argue and demand no kings are the same ones who have been under the overreaching  ruling of the Democrats for so many years. It is hard to remain calm and try to have conversations with these people who will not listen to reason. 

fj  June 14—Flag Day—President Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday. A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn’t staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else

Fallen Idols

 I’ve been doing some thinking about role models. People who we admire. People whose traits, personalities, and values we connect with. These people can range from actors, actresses, musicians, authors, and so on.  

Many people, including myself, have put their role models on a pedestal of sorts. Being a piano player and singer since I was six years old, there are many musicians who I have held in high regard. Not only have I been mesmerized by their talent, but their words and music have inspired me in more ways than one. 

Recently, the House of Representatives passed a bill proposed by the Trump administration to defund Planned Parenthood by no longer having taxpayers funding it.  

In response to this, over 250 artists and celebrities signed a petition in support of Planned Parenthood. The musicians who signed this petition have planned to host a concert to raise money for the soon to be defunded organization. 

As I read the petition, I was equally shocked and sad to see artists who I’ve looked up to for as long as I can remember on this list. With every name that I read, my heart broke a little bit more each time.  It is very clear to these individuals who they will serve. It is not the God who created them and blessed them with this talent.  It is the false Gods they worship. Monetary gain and worldly fame seems to be the ultimate goal here.  

What then, is this type of example set for the younger generations of musicians, actors, actresses, and other people who want to achieve fame? Does this mean putting our morals and values on the back-burner in order to get into the good graces of the ones who sign our paychecks? These are the questions that deserve an answer, not shrouded in doubt solely for the purpose of achieving wealth and status.

"A gentle breeze can be ignored, but a hurricane demands a response."

 There’s only so far someone can get pushed around before they decide to fight back. 

The silent majority is a term that refers to “the majority of people, regarded as holding moderate opinions but rarely expressing them.”  

For me and many other conservatives, this term applied to us during the year 2020. When the pandemic hit, I felt as if I was forced into a corner and the beliefs and morals I held so dearly became something I needed to hide away from the world. For instance, I can recall one occasion when I was pulled into my former boss's office. She told me that the company was imposing a vaccine mandate for all the employees. She said I had three choices: to get the Covid vaccine, get a religious or medical exemption, or get let go. Since my primary doctor was encouraging the vaccine, I did not feel comfortable going to her. Luckily, a pastor had offered his services to write religious exemptions for those that needed it, no matter if they were a part of his congregation or not. It was at that moment I felt like I was an outcast, simply for standing up for my beliefs. 

Things only got worse as the year went on. When the Black Lives Matter riots made its way to my hometown, it became all too clear that we were in the midst of a modern day civil war. I can very clearly remember hearing the gunshots and rioters from my neighborhood and feeling an utter sense of fear and dread, thinking that they would come to us. 

When the Covid pandemic came, I will admit that I listened to the media like gospel and I became someone I wouldn’t recognize today.  Since the school I worked at was closed for a few months, I stayed in my room and refused to leave my house. If I did go to the store, I wore a mask, sanitized my groceries, and would wash my clothes frequently so as not to gather germs.  

It wasn’t until I started watching the conservative news outlet Fox News that I began to listen to the truth. It was like a veil had been lifted and the rose colored glasses were off. I began to learn about the corrupt government of Illinois and how the Democratic party was not the same as it was back in the Kennedy  days.   

Sean Hannity, Laura Ingram, Jesse Waters, Ben Shapiro, and Brett Cooper are the main people who I really looked up to and who I continue to follow  among the misinformation that has run rampant here in this world. They use logic, reason, and easy to understand jargon and explanations that make it easy to comprehend otherwise hard and advanced discussions. 

I hope one day to have a career in government. In my home state of Illinois, I know that this will realistically not happen anytime soon. My values do not align with the politics of this state. I will not back down on my beliefs simply to fit in with Illinois politics. I want to create my own path and hopefully make history. 

Return to Innocence

 “Return to innocence”

It is not simply the title of a song by the band Enigma. It is a desperate plea I am making. 

As an early childhood educator, I am seeing the innocence of children gone. Imagination and dramatic play is almost non-existent. The once comforting visuals of my childhood are replaced by over stimulation and the overuse of technology. A simple trip to the grocery store and I have witnessed the disappointment of parents and caregivers not having conversations with their children or acknowledging their existence, the children have their eyes fixed on devices, whether that be the caregivers smartphone or a tablet. There is no respect for authoritative figures. Bad language, hurtful words, and even violence is something that children as young as 3 years old are exhibiting. 

I know I can speak from my childhood and tell you that the difference between what I experienced in the 90’s and early 2000’s and today is startling, shocking and very sad. The television was reserved for Saturday morning cartoons and after school shows. They were very comforting and soothing, with morals and values taught, as well as lots of educational content. Going to my Aunt’s house in Hickory Hills was the highlight of my childhood. My cousin had a Sega Genesis console, and it was such a treat to be able to play Sonic the Hedgehog with him. My Aunt also had an extensive collection of Disney movies, from Pete’s Dragon to The Jungle Book, from Fantasia to The Parent Trap. These were seen as a reward and a once in a while thing, and were not expected to constantly be on.  Technology was not seen as something we absolutely had to watch to be occupied. 

Imagination and pretend play was something I thrived on with my siblings. It is something I believe sparked and encouraged my writing and love for storytelling. I was able to create worlds, characters and places that allowed me to fully immerse myself into whatever and wherever my imagination took me. The movies and books I read also helped. The ones I can remember fully having an impact on me were the  “Chronicles of Narnia” and the “Lord of the Rings” series. These timeless classics are something that I believe have the power to inspire generations to come. 

In the present day, it is very rare that I will have a conversation with a child who has heard of these series, much less read a book filled with morals, values and lessons to be learned that will help them in everyday life. Today I’ve noticed that children's books, movies and television series are more so focused on bright colors, voices that sound more like gentle parenting than a calming presence, and the same thing over and over to simply keep their attention. There are more cases of children with learning disabilities and behavioral problems now more than ever.  They have no manners or respect for authority and they have no contempt for their elders. The pandemic made matters worse. By isolating these children and forcing them to be apart from family members and peers, they turned to social media, which ultimately became their downfall. Social media has had a very negative affect on behavior in children. They are constantly told that their parental figures are the enemy and they have every right to cut them out of their life for good, using buzzwords like “toxic” “narcissistic” “abuse” and “gaslighting behavior.” These terms have been twisted and overused in such a way that they are not used in a serious manner.  Parents have no choice but to bend to the will of their young children. They are made to be their friend and to walk on eggshells in case the children accuse them of being “bad parents”. The parents are constantly having to resort to gentle parenting and to remain positive and give their child options, even (as I have witnessed more than once)  as their child becomes physically violent and accuses them of abuse.  Gentle parenting is defined as a “parenting style that focuses on empathy, respect, and connection with children.” In theory, this isn't a bad thing at all. In fact, it is something that should be a no-brainer when it comes to raising children. I feel as if parents of this generation have taken gentle parenting to the extreme and instead have allowed their children to rule their lives and they themselves have taken a major step back when it comes to discipline. 

 How have we come so far in our society? How did we let this happen to our children? I love teaching kids and helping them reach their full potential, but every day I am losing my motivation. I am no longer finding the joy in teaching. I have become their babysitter, not their teacher. I am corrected if I use any sort of discipline or even a firm tone in my voice.  I firmly believe that children should have the utmost respect for authority. In early childhood, that is a crucial learning time for them. It helps build the foundation and learning styles for their future career as students. 

I am burnt out from working in early childhood and by constantly feeling like I have to bend to the rules of giving students options instead of instructions, by allowing the students to use the classroom materials for their own devices instead of utilizing the skills necessary to help them learn. 

It is time for the people of the teaching administration to see that gentle parenting is not an option in the classroom and that teachers need to be respected. Parents need to be parents and to properly discipline their children and teach them respect, instead of paying other people to do the job and expect different results when they themselves don’t implement the hard work the teachers do on a daily basis.

The case for better leaders in Illinois

 The difference between fear-mongering and leading with hypervigilance: 

How Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker has turned the state of Illinois into a state of civil war.

The year 2020 is something that is ingrained in everyone's mind. A pandemic that changed the very course of our lives. 

The people of Illinois looked desperately to their leaders for some sort of comfort and direction in a world that had been turned upside down. Instead, we were led by a tyrant. 

Governor J.B. Pritzker told them that we had to adhere to his stay-at-home order, while he quite literally flew all over the world in his private jet. He told us that if we didn’t isolate ourselves, we were putting everyone in danger. The fear- mongering was out of control. He forced local businesses to shut their doors if they did not comply with his orders. 

Now, five years later, he has fully assumed the role of a tyrannical leader. He addresses the people of Illinois as his “people”. His executive orders are borderline illegal and unethical.  He is unfit to do his job as Governor as he is seemingly not concerned with the citizens of Illinois and more so focused on things that are harming the people he claims to care for. For example, he  protects the people who are here illegally, while the residents of Illinois suffer from violent crime. The crime rate in the city of Chicago is up to 50%, with the total number of crimes being over 100,000 as of 2024. The veterans who so proudly fought for our freedoms are often left in unstable and unsafe living conditions, resulting in over 700 of them being homeless. Instead of focusing on Illinois’s almost $70 billion dollar debt, he is funding unnecessary programs, economic challenges, as well as poor budgeting. 

J.B. Pritzker has a net worth of 3.7 billion dollars and is the perfect example of a “nepo-baby”, considering his family owns the Hyatt hotel chain. He used his wealth to promote his campaign, leading many to believe he bought his way into power. For example, in the debates with him and Republican opponent Darren Bailey, he resorted to  name calling and misinformation, convincing the people he was 

He won the majority of his votes in Democratic Cook County, while the rest of the state voted for Republican opponents. It  is difficult to believe in fair voting when one county has the majority vote over the entire state. 

 It is very difficult to see any positive changes with him in office. 

He has repeatedly verbally attacked the President as well as the members of his cabinet. He encourages rioting and the destruction of property. How long must the people of Illinois stand for this? We deserve a strong leader who wants to unite its citizens in the common cause of financial responsibility, safer living conditions and most importantly, one who respects everyone.